Kingston police warn of ‘senior assassin’ game after 911 call

KINGSTON, Mass. (WLNE) — The Kingston Police Department said they received a 911 call from someone alarmed by a person reportedly walking around a parking lot with a gun in their hand.

The caller told police the person was walking near Lake Street, in the area of Silver Lake Regional High School, which was near dismissal time.

Police said the call prompted a high-priority, multiple-cruiser response. The resource officer at the nearby high school was also alerted.

When officers found the person with the reported gun, they found they were a student of the Silver Lake Regional High School with a water-gun.

Officials said the students were playing a game called “senior assassin” where they spray each other with water-guns to eliminate them from the game.

“Unfortunately, the students decided to use a realistic looking weapon in a public location off of school property,” the department said in a post to social media.

“Luckily, officers were quickly able to ascertain that this is what was occurring and that it was not a real threat,” they continued.

The department further noted that countless tragedies occurred where someone with a realistic looking, fake weapon is shot in defense by police or another citizen.

“We beg you, students and parents, please advise your loved ones against playing this game with realistic looking weapons. Let’s avoid a tragedy,” the department concluded.

Police shared two photos of the water-gun and a real Glock handgun to show how easily it can be to mistake a fake weapon for a real one.

The Kingston Police Department shared this photo of the water-gun that was mistaken for a real firearm.

The Kingston Police Department shared this photo of a Glock handgun.